[Chapter 33 Comment]
[SonofSunWukong: Is this a Bu-gi-ho reference? In any case, if 10% makes u as strong as a supreme rank, than how strong can u get. Also how long does integration take and does it get harder/take longer the more % u integrate]
"Toon Demon's First Authority: Toon World."
Nana and the others were left in a state of confusion as Theo's power enveloped the area. Even the king realized that he should confront Theo without any plans, as Theo's essence emitted a fluctuation of such immense strength. In fact, Theo seemed to be the biggest miscalculation the king had made in his entire life.
The essence Theo emitted had a profound effect on the surroundings. The muddy road was suddenly paved, cracks and craters on the ground were patched up, and all remaining grass vanished completely. Even the giant trees transformed into pole lamps, illuminating the street. The houses, whether destroyed or intact, were transformed into stands offering food and beverages.
What was most striking about the sudden changes in the area was that they all had a single theme: a bright yet spooky Halloween theme. With a snap of Theo's fingers, a few attractions such as a Ferris wheel and water rides appeared.
The king realized that he had been standing past the gates as if he had been registered as one of the visitors. It was evident that he was within Theo's power. Despite being a hundred meters away, Theo's ability reached him, and yet Theo maintained a calm expression, as if using this level of ability was effortless for him.
"For real?" Li Wei sucked in a cold breath, realizing the true extent of his teacher's power.
"His power stretches so far? If that's the case, people wouldn't even realize that they've fallen into his trap," Maya gasped.
"This time, he's using his ability, but normally, his illusions wouldn't be noticeable until they're revealed," Oliver added, taking a deep breath. "In fact, his range might even be larger... much larger than my inventory."
Nana felt a sense of relief. With Theo's power, there might be no need for reinforcements, as he seemed capable of handling the opponent on his own. It was no wonder Theo was so confident.
Amidst the shock of his allies, Theo took a moment to glance at the comment and inwardly replied, "I don't know what you're talking about. If this were a story, wouldn't using a brand cause copyright issues? Not that I'm an expert on that... As for your other questions, I don't know the exact details since I haven't explored enough. But yes, it does get harder as I progress."
After responding to the comment, Theo's focus returned to the king, who had overcome his initial shock. This was the perfect moment for Theo to say something.
Theo placed his hand on his chest and bowed like a gentleman, greeting the king and his army. "Welcome to my Toon Carnival. I'm very proud of the attractions we have here. If I may suggest, please try our rides."
"Your power might be something, but do you think you can scare me with just this?" The king didn't understand what Theo meant, coming from an early period. He questioned whether Theo's power alone could scare him by challenging him. "Shoot!"
But with a cold smile, Theo replied, "Sorry, I won't take no for an answer."
Before the archers could release their arrows, the ground beneath their feet suddenly disappeared, causing them to fall onto their backsides.
The king turned around and witnessed the change. The ground beneath the archers had been lowered by one meter, replaced by a track and carts connected to each other. The carts carried a total of forty skeletons. It was a thrilling ride, and the skeletons had to fasten their belts and protective gear.
"It will be a thrilling ride, so you have to fasten your belts and protective gears." Theo smiled.
In an instant, the protective gear tightened to the point where their ribs cracked, and the seatbelt secured them in place, making it impossible for the skeletons to escape the torture.
The skeletons didn't know anything, but their loyalty remained the same. They couldn't help but look at the king as if telling him that they didn't know and couldn't perform their duty. But the hollowness in their gaze made it look like they were trying to ask their king for help.
The carts went at an extremely high speed, seemingly completing a loop without fail. However, the carts suddenly stopped, throwing the skeletons forward and shattering their ribs due to the momentum. As the carts became detached from the track and fell to the ground, their skulls were completely shattered upon impact. The engine malfunctioned, causing an explosion that reduced the bones to nothing.
The king was left gasping, never expecting that Theo possessed such power. He quickly ordered the remaining forces into action. "Cavalries move forward. Infantry, raise your shield and approach him more carefully. The remaining archers shall release their arrows to buy some time."
Before the cavalries could reach him, their skeletal horses started acting differently. Poles penetrated their bodies, attaching them to the ground and the ceiling. All the horses began to circle around, creating another structure – a carousel for cavalries. There was a rope and belt that attached the skeleton's entire body to the horse, making them inseparable.
Theo smirked and introduced it again. "For cavalries, I suggest merry-go-round. Please enjoy."
The horses moved up and down at an extreme speed, causing the momentum alone to break their bones and shatter their joints. The horses hit the ceiling above and fell to the platform below, both made of steel, completely shattering their bones.
The king was left speechless. Not only had Theo shown immense power, but also an unimaginable level of cruelty. Nana, the sole exorcist bureau member present, dropped her jaw in shock. She couldn't help but pity the skeletons and wonder who the true evil supernatural being was.
"Infantry. Move forward in square formation!" The king gritted his teeth and ordered the infantry. They created a hollow square, with a few skeletons positioned inside to alert the others if the ground suddenly changed. However, Theo had other plans.
The infantry began to shift their positions and formed a hollow square with a few skeletons inside. The king was aware of Theo's ability to manifest his power from anywhere. In response, the skeletons arranged themselves in a square formation, ensuring visibility from all directions and preventing a repetition of the previous incident. Furthermore, the skeletons in the middle were tasked with alerting others if the ground were to suddenly change.
"For the infantry..." Theo smirked menacingly.
Even though the skeletons lacked intelligence, they instinctively sensed that something ominous was about to occur, drawing from their previous experience.
Theo hadn't revealed his full power until now and began speeding up. He created spikes that impaled the skeletons in the middle, effectively eliminating them.
"!!!"
Realizing that the situation had taken a turn for the worse, the king attempted to issue a command, "Leave—"
It was too late. The infantry became ensnared by seatbelts that emerged from beneath the ground. Following that, the next attraction materialized and completely trapped them.
"For the square formation infantry, I have a perfect attraction in store," Theo grinned.
The captured skeletons, unable to turn their gaze away, glanced back at their king. They found themselves trapped in a drop tower with square-shaped seats attached to a vertical structure. The skeletons in the middle were impaled, serving as macabre decorations.
They looked to their king, pleading for assistance. Gritting his teeth, the king gave the order, "Archers, what are you doing? Shoot him!"
The archers continued their onslaught, yet no matter how they aimed at Theo, he effortlessly maneuvered behind the structure, out of their line of sight.
Helpless in the face of Theo's power, the king found his soldiers to be of no use. In a desperate move, he drew his sword and charged at Theo personally. Confident in his own skills, the king believed Theo wouldn't be able to defend himself. Surely, he would reach the tower, strike it down, and save his soldiers.
However, that was precisely what Theo had been anticipating.
The moment the king approached him, Theo triggered another illusion.
Chains erupted from the ground, but the king skillfully evaded them. With power far surpassing that of his soldiers, it was not surprising that he could escape Theo's clutches.
But that was merely another trick. The moment the king leaped into the air, his body was suddenly struck by arrows from behind.
"Huh?!" The king turned his gaze and witnessed multiple arrows piercing his body. Yes, he had ordered his archers to shoot him, but the arrow trajectories aligned perfectly, resulting in them hitting him at the exact moment of his jump.
In other words, Theo had used this simple trick to make the king inadvertently block the arrows.
Coughing up blood, the king experienced excruciating pain spreading throughout his body. Once again, he fell to the ground, only to be greeted by red curtains moving in opposite directions, as if signaling the beginning of a show. And indeed, it was a show that involved his own infantry.
The drop tower released the infantry with such velocity that the skeletons were forcibly ejected from their seats. Before they had a chance to move, the tower swiftly raised and dropped the seats again, crushing the skeletons beneath them like a relentless hammer.
"No!" The king shouted in a mix of anger, grief, and helplessness. He never anticipated witnessing his soldiers being crushed as if in a mortar and pestle.
Unbeknownst to him, there was yet another layer of illusion at play. The arrows were actually illusions, carefully timed and created to feel real. The king remained unaware that the arrows were mere figments, as Theo had no intention of killing the king, as he needed to preserve the human body it possessed. Thus, the arrows could not be real.
But that anguish ultimately left him alone, as Theo seized the opportunity to deal with the remaining archers. They found themselves trapped in pendulum rides where their heads collided with the floor, causing their helpless demise.
Theo's smile adorned his face as the attractions vanished, leaving an empty road separating him from the king. He chuckled, "I'm pleased to see that our guests are so delighted that they pass away."
Nana stood there, utterly dumbstruck. It was the first time she had witnessed someone appearing more sinister than a supernatural being. She could sense the anguish and anger emanating from her opponent when the king's soldiers were brutally killed.
Meanwhile, Theo's students could only shake their heads in astonishment. Li Wei's face turned pale, not due to the brutality, but because he contemplated what would have happened to him if he had ever incurred Theo's wrath. He was fortunate that Theo still considered him his student.
Maya regarded Theo from a different perspective. She realized that everything had been an illusion, but the sheer realism and the infusion of essence into the illusions caused the skeletons to meet their real demise. Mia's words echoed in her mind: "One body and one mind."
Oliver took a sharp breath for a different reason. Illusionists were often looked down upon in many realms, yet Theo had just demonstrated something beyond their wildest imagination. It was no wonder why his teaching methods were unorthodox but incredibly effective. They felt blessed to have such a remarkable teacher.
However, a shared thought lingered among the three students after witnessing this scene:
"I will definitely not make him my enemy."